So when Ye Xuan found out that Xie Shunan was so invested in Lu Ding, he was quite displeased. But when he later heard that Lu Ding had something urgent and had canceled the dinner, he was happy again, secretly mocking Lu Ding for not knowing what was good for him. He eagerly anticipated Xie Shunan bringing the demolition team over to open the tomb chamber with him.
Just as he was lost in thought, Lu Ding had already turned the corner and saw Ye Xuan sitting in the middle of the road on a folding stool. His bandit-like aura was practically spilling out uncontrollably. Sitting there with his legs spread wide, he looked just like an old-time highway robber, as if saying: This mountain is mine, this tree I planted. If you want to pass, leave a toll.
Yan Feifan leaned in cautiously and whispered, "Brother Lu, the Cultivator of Qi files that Bureau Chief Gao just sent over include this guy. His name is Ye Xuan. He came from the bandit den in Daheshan and has deep ties with the Sihai Group. He was the one who killed White-Furred Hou and took on two opponents to snatch the collapsed tomb's development rights."
"But honestly, meeting him in person is different from hearing about him. No matter how I look at it, he just seems... not very bright."
Lu Ding felt the same way. What kind of normal person sits in the middle of the road grinning like an idiot in broad daylight?
Too lazy to acknowledge him, Lu Ding just walked straight past him.
"Hey, hey, hey! You two, didn’t you see someone sitting here? Just walking in —do you think this is your backyard? Get out, get out!"
Ye Xuan didn’t even stand up, just waved them off from his stool, looking exactly like a grumpy old security guard shooing away delivery guys at an old residential complex.
Ye Xuan stood up, sensing the same Cultivator of Qi aura from the two of them.
"749? Weren’t you guys National Security?"
Lu Ding was speechless. Had this guy just rolled down the mountain without learning any basic common sense? A 749 badge looked like a National Security ID to regular folks, but to Cultivators of Qi, it was clearly 749.
"Whatever. Whether you’re National Security or 749, the development rights for this place were lost to me by your Bao Fan District Patrol. This place belongs to me now. Whether it’s National Security or 749, none of you are allowed in."
Seeing Ye Xuan’s arrogant attitude, Yan Feifan took a step back. He knew this guy was doomed.
Brother Lu hated nothing more than someone being more arrogant than him.
Sure enough, the next second, Lu Ding spoke.
"So you're saying... you won this place?"
"That’s right." Ye Xuan folded his arms.
Lu Ding’s tone remained indifferent: "Then does that mean I can just take it from you?"
Ye Xuan’s face turned serious. At this point, he knew these two were here to cause trouble.
"If you have the ability, you’re welcome to try. But let me say this upfront—whatever happens, you brought it on yourself."
Cultivators of Qi didn’t waste time talking things out. If there was a dispute, they fought.
Ye Xuan took his stance, tiger claw forward, crane beak behind.
Lu Ding glanced at his form and commented, "Tiger-Crane Twin Forms? Looks like you’ve got some decent showmanship."
Lately, Lu Ding had been reading all sorts of files and documents from the Bureau whenever he had time. He firmly believed that knowledge had no limits—learning more could only be beneficial.
As it happened, he had just read about the Tiger-Crane Twin Forms not long ago.
But compared to the records of master practitioners in the Bureau, Ye Xuan’s execution of it was far inferior.
Hearing this guy dismiss his technique as just for show, Ye Xuan got annoyed. "More than enough to take you down!"
Tiger Form was fierce, Crane Form agile. He tested forward with a tiger claw strike, and Lu Ding met him head-on with his own clawed hand.
Ye Xuan sneered internally.
His Tiger Claw could leave dents in refined steel.
This guy was using his bare palm against it—was he insane?
Fine by him. He’d teach this fool a lesson about watching his mouth.
As soon as his Tiger Claw latched on, he would apply a second force, crushing this guy’s finger bones and making sure he never forgot it.
Reality, however, was brutal.
The moment their palms clashed—
Ye Xuan felt as if an iron vise had clamped down on his hand.
His expression changed drastically.
Lu Ding had no intention of waiting.
Once he locked onto Ye Xuan’s hand, he applied a second force—tens of thousands of pounds of pressure twisting and wrenching with precision.
Ye Xuan’s entire arm dislocated on the spot.
His five finger bones shattered instantly.
There was an old technique among veteran snake catchers—when grabbing a venomous snake, they would hold it by the tail and whip it around. Skilled snake catchers could use the right amount of force to completely dislocate the snake's body while keeping it alive but immobile.
Lu Ding had used the same technique.
Though he had never formally learned it, he had once seen a video about it on the 749 App’s discussion board.
With Oneness with Formlessness, he could enter a Oneness with Heaven and Man state.
Just watching it once was enough for him to grasp about seventy to eighty percent of the technique.
It wasn’t anything complex—just a matter of applying the right amount of force.
Lu Ding followed up immediately, yanking Ye Xuan toward him and slamming an elbow into his chest.
With just one hit, Ye Xuan’s blood surged violently, and his entire body flew backward.
He tumbled across the ground for over ten meters before finally managing to crawl to his feet, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.
His right arm hung limp at his side, fingers twisted into an unnatural mess.
Gritting his teeth through the pain, Ye Xuan forced out, "Wasn’t that a bit too ruthless? We were just sparring."
"Cut the crap. Don’t think I didn’t know what you were planning. If you were stronger than me, I’d be the one crippled right now."
From the moment they clashed, Lu Ding had sensed his intent.
The only reason Ye Xuan had failed was because he was too weak.
And now, to complain about ruthlessness? What a joke.
Yan Feifan twisted the knife. "Too ruthless? If Brother Lu hadn’t held back, you’d be in pieces right now. Be grateful you’re still breathing."
Ye Xuan gritted his teeth.
"I acknowledge your strength. The road ahead is long—please, tell me your name. I will return this favor one day."
Oh no. This guy doesn’t get it.
Yan Feifan sighed silently.
Losing was losing. Why say something like that?
Did he have a death wish?
"You won’t have a future," Lu Ding said coldly.
His killing intent surged.
An oppressive force closed in from all directions, suffocating Ye Xuan like he had fallen into an endless abyss.
If Ye Xuan had backed down now, Lu Ding would have let it go.
But he had made the fatal mistake of saying those words.
Lu Ding exploded forward—
The ground beneath him shattered.
Like a rampaging ancient beast, he charged straight at Ye Xuan.
Ye Xuan felt death closing in.
His life flashed before his eyes.
"Patrol Officer Lu, please spare him!!!"
The ground trembled as walls of earth suddenly rose, attempting to block Lu Ding.
But the moment he crashed into them, they shattered like brittle tofu.
Though they couldn’t stop his charge, they slowed him down.
And in that fleeting moment—
A small, elderly figure appeared in front of Ye Xuan.